Cananito

Apple updates iBooks Author EULA

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:41:26 -0800

You retain complete rights of the content. Only restriction is to sell the .ibook file through the iBookstore and if you distribute it somewhere else it has to be free. Duh.

Jeff LaMarche's take on iBooks Author's EULA

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:59:17 -0800

Jeff LaMarche's take on iBooks Author's EULA:

Best take I’ve read on all this iBA debacle.

Watching Apple win the world

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:56:00 -0800

Watching Apple win the world:

David from 37signals:

No other company has inspired me more when it comes to marketing, design, focus, and even capitalism than Apple. Make the best damn product out there, charge a profitable price, and win the world.

Official Tea Drinker

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 23:27:33 -0800

It’s been around 6 months since I got into tea. Now I can say I’m an official tea drinker (black tea specifically), still not an expert though.

As I mentioned on the previous post, I bought the then existing “Samovar Black Tea Sample Set”, because it seemed black tea would be the best fit for me.

I really haven’t tried other kind of teas, but I think I did make the right choice going with black tea, I like it a lot. Out of all the samples, my personal favorite was the Samovar Breakfast Blend. I plan to either keep buying it, or try out the English Breakfast from Adagio Teas.

Now, on to the actual brewing. My technique over time has been getting better, and my palate has been also getting better in the sense that it doesn’t need sweeteners as long as the brew is not too strong.

I started with too many leaves and a long infusion, this made a really strong brew for my newbie palate (tasted really bitter), so I had to put in a bunch of sugar. I then started to reduce the amount of leaves, but the time of infusion remained the same, so I still needed to add a bit of sugar. Right now, I’m at the point where I put in a relatively small amount of leaves and infuse it for just 2 minutes, but I don’t need to add any sugar.

So this takes me to my goals:

I plan to slowly keep increasing the amount of leaves and infusion time.
Buy an electric kettle to heat water faster and at the perfect temperature.
Drink tea more often.

iBooks Author first thoughts

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:33:20 -0800

I think iBooks Author is a great tool, but it seems that a lot of people are disappointed with the news about it, mainly because you can’t distribute the output (unless it’s free) outside the iBookstore and because it can’t output ePub format (it uses a proprietary iBook format instead). As Jason Snell points out:

Clearly the company’s first priority was to build a tool so that interactive iPad books, specifically textbooks, could be built as easily as possible. That’s what iBooks Author is for today. Any other uses are purely coincidental.

And lets not to forget that it’s a FREE tool. Even Microsoft Office Home and Student, which is not free, disallows any commercial or non-profit use.

If it doesn’t fit your needs, don’t use it, but quit complaining about it.

Steve Jobs and Japan

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:27:28 -0800

Steve Jobs and Japan:

Great read.

Why do we grade?

Sun, 25 Dec 2011 23:46:10 -0800

Why do we grade?:

Best part:

I would say that the main reason that we grade is since we really are not in the business of providing an education but rather in the business of providing degrees. To award a meaningful degree you need to grade. To deliver a meaningful education you do not.

I mostly agree, I think the whole education system is broken because of degrees (with a few exceptions like medicine and related careers), but giving degrees is actually possible without grading, a clear example: martial arts.

The reason martial arts get away with giving degrees without grading is that there are no time lapses defined, you get a new belt whenever the sensei thinks you deserve it. I think this can be applied to some parts of the education system as well.

Tesla Model S Options and Specs

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 23:52:19 -0800

Tesla Model S Options and Specs:

Really nice site, really Apple-ish. Would love to be an owner of one of those in the future.

MG Siegler's response to Joshua Topolsky's "Horseshit"

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:58:00 -0800

MG Siegler's response to Joshua Topolsky's "Horseshit":

Spot on. MG brought up the same point I made about Galaxy Nexus being more expensive than the iPhone.

Why Programmers Work at Night

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:14:39 -0800

Why Programmers Work at Night:

3 factors:

The maker’s schedule.
The sleepy brain.
Bright computer screens.

It’s really annoying when people tell me I go to sleep to late or don’t wake up early enough.

Joshua's Horseshit

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:12:57 -0800

Joshua's Horseshit:

Joshua is mixing feelings here, because he fails to see that the argument of the Mercedes is not about “class”, it’s just about “quality”. Isn’t he aware that the Galaxy Nexus is more expensive than the iPhone?

All Android phones and iPhones are pretty much in the same price range because of monthly fees.

So I would say he’s feelings are that he feels a “low-class” because that’s how Android feels, cheap. Turns out it’s quite expensive, sometimes more expensive than an iPhone.

The day Android phones sell contract free, pay-to-go, and in the same price range as an iPod Touch (maybe a bit more expensive because of the phone capabilities), then I’ll understand Joshua’s “horseshit”.

OnStartups: The CEO Should Be The Chief Experience Officer

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 23:30:51 -0800

OnStartups: The CEO Should Be The Chief Experience Officer:

The phrase “Chief Executive Officer” doesn’t convey much, if anything. There’s a better way to describe the role.

I will posit that in a technology company, the CEO should be the Chief Experience Officer.

If the CEO can make the following set of experiences amazing, by definition, she will make an amazing company.

I would add that if you’re driven by profits, you’re doing it wrong.

Latest Version

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 14:09:53 -0800

Latest Version:

I agree with all he says. I think that is someone owns an old device or OS, he’ll be fine with using an old version of your app. It’s only worth adding new stuff to the newest devices and OSs.

Open Source webOS

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 12:18:59 -0800

Open Source webOS:

Matt Gemmell:

The people most happy about webOS being open source (the geeks, early adopters, developers and tinkerers) are its least qualified stewards if it’s to survive and flourish. Sorry, but you’re probably just going to ruin it for everyone. If you think Linux is a counterexample, ask your granny to use it for a day.

The Terrible State of Web Development

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 15:30:07 -0800

The Terrible State of Web Development:

Dave DeLong:

So this is my rant: making a website sucks. It’s a miserable experience if you want it to have any sort of dynamic nature or don’t want it to look like crap.

The root of the problem: websites were originally made to display simple documents. Not a truly scalable platform, it’s filled with patches as of today.

Why Big Companies Die

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 20:04:44 -0800

Why Big Companies Die:

I bet BBA and MBA students never learn this:

In this mode, the firm is basically playing defense. Because it’s easier to milk the cash cow than to add new value, the firm not only stops playing offense: it even forgets how to play offense. The firm starts to die.

Ron Johnson: What I Learned Building the Apple Store

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:49:14 -0800

Ron Johnson: What I Learned Building the Apple Store:

Two interesting bits:

Think about this: Any store has to provide products people want to buy. That’s a given. But if Apple products were the key to the Stores’ success, how do you explain the fact that people flock to the stores to buy Apple products at full price when Wal-Mart, Best-Buy, and Target carry most of them, often discounted in various ways, and Amazon carries them all — and doesn’t charge sales tax!

People come to the Apple Store for the experience — and they’re willing to pay a premium for that. There are lots of components to that experience, but maybe the most important — and this is something that can translate to any retailer — is that the staff isn’t focused on selling stuff, it’s focused on building relationships and trying to make people’s lives better. That may sound hokey, but it’s true. The staff is exceptionally well trained, and they’re not on commission, so it makes no difference to them if they sell you an expensive new computer or help you make your old one run better so you’re happy with it. Their job is to figure out what you need and help you get it, even if it’s a product Apple doesn’t carry. Compare that with other retailers where the emphasis is on cross-selling and upselling and, basically, encouraging customers to buy more, even if they don’t want or need it. That doesn’t enrich their lives, and it doesn’t deepen the retailer’s relationship with them. It just makes their wallets lighter.

And:

People forget that the Apple Store encountered some bumps along the way. No one came to the Genius Bar during the first years. We even had Evian water in refrigerators for customers to try to get them to sit down and spend time at the bar. But we stuck with it because we knew that face-to-face support was the very best way to help customers. Three years after the Genius Bar launched, it was so popular we had to set up a reservation system.

Ideas are just a multiplier of execution

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:02:49 -0800

Ideas are just a multiplier of execution:

To make a business, you need to multiply the two.

Sixth-grade iOS Developer and Entrepreneur

Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:42:00 -0800

Sixth-grade iOS Developer and Entrepreneur:

Not only is he smart and bright, but he’s also an entrepreneur.

ZDNet: Adobe ceases development on mobile browser Flash

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 11:01:50 -0800

ZDNet: Adobe ceases development on mobile browser Flash:

They finally admitted it. Next stop: Flash on the desktop.